


Love Isn't Kind

by StellaBruma



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, wedding vows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2018-12-16 22:43:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11838513
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaBruma/pseuds/StellaBruma
Summary: On the day of their wedding, Keith doesn't have prepared vows. Instead, he thinks about their time together and what brought them here. After hearing Lance's vows he knowsexactlywhat to say.





	1. How Could I Ask for More?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The death of a bachelor seems so fitting for happily ever after, how could I ask for more? Lifetime of laughter at the expense of the death of a bachelor." - Panic! at the Disco

Keith exhales shakily for what feels like the billionth time, waiting out most of the hour he has left before the main event, only to find he’s been pacing for a full minute and twenty-seven seconds since the last time he looked at his watch, adorned on his quivering wrist to cover his maddening pulse.  
  
_This is it_ , he thinks, _Today is…_  
  
Well, something he’s been awaiting some time now, ever since he and Lance made their engagement official almost 15 months ago. They’d chosen the date before announcing the engagement, actually. The memory made Keith smile and helped to tame his pounding heart.  
  
His thoughts were interrupted with a knock on his door, followed quickly by Shiro popping his head in to say, “Hello! Getting ready in here?” He made his way to Keith’s side, motioning for them both to sit down on adjacent chairs.  
  
Keith chuckled nervously and ran a still trembling hand through his hair.  
  
He met Shiro’s gaze meekly. “Yeah, you could say that. Trying to get through the jitters, basically.”  
  
Something in Shiro’s demeaner faltered. “No cold feet though, right?”  
  
”Shiro, of course not.” His face visibly relaxed as he tried to hide it behind a sigh. _What makes him think that now? How is Lance? Did he check on him – ._  
  
”Have you…written your vows?”  
  
”Shiro, you know me. Of course not,” his chuckle came easier now, “I just, I know what I’ll say once we’re there.” Keith’s smile is genuine now, his heartrate slows to the light type of rapid, when your stomach fills with mirth and you feel on top of the world.  
  
”Besides, grand declarations of feelings? Not exactly my thing.” He shoots a smirk to his Best Man, who just rolls his eyes.  
  
”Keith, I know you. We’ve known each other for over a decade now. I want you to be calm, but I don’t want you to regret this later.”  
  
Keith nods, “Yeah, I understand. Thanks, Shiro. You’ve always been there for me, but how do you feel now? Like you’re handing me off?”  
  
Shiro laughs, but Keith can tell there’s extra weight to it, something welling in his throat and behind his eyes. He _knows_ , based on the way Shiro can’t meet his eyes when he speaks, smile tugged up by invisible strings.  
  
”You know, you’ve always been like a brother to me. I tried being a father figure sometimes, too, but. It’s just that brothers – it sounds right for us. I know it won’t change, nothing so far has been able to change it, but this is a wonderful step for you both and I am so happy to have been a part of your life, and, and –“  
  
Keith looks over again to see tears gathering in the corners of Shiro’s eyes. It’s expected, with how Shiro is, but it still hits Keith harder than he expected.  
  
”Shiro, thank you. I mean it.” Keith moves to place his hands on Shiro’s shoulders and brings him in for a hug. “My life would’ve turned out really differently if it weren’t for you, and with everything – the good and the bad – that’s happened, I still wouldn’t want to change anything.”  
  
They remained that way a little bit more, talking about the past and making each other laugh, making each other sniffle, just to pass the time. At exactly twelve minutes before they have to start moving, Keith has a loose _idea_ of what he’s going to say. Then, they get going.  
  
Under Keith’s insistence and Lance’s quick agreement, Lance had chosen the majority of how the ceremony was organized. Most of the guests were Lance’s anyway, and the others for both Lance and Keith. Plus, it felt _right_.  
  
What Keith didn’t expect, though, until the full rehearsal (Lance’s idea) two days prior, was for _both_ of Lance’s parents to walk _both_ of them up the aisle, the husbands-to-be standing side by side behind them.  
  
Keith had that memory bored into his brain as well. Lance said he was already important to the McClain family, knew Keith had no parents of his own to turn him over to this new part of their lives, and that he would flat-out refuse for Keith’s Best Man to double as his parent because _ew Keith why would anyone think it’s anything but weird?_  
  
Keith definitely teared up that night thanking Lance. He likes his family. Loves that he’s going to be a part of it.  
  
So there he stood at one end of the back, knowing Lance was waiting behind the door on the opposite end. On the que of the music, he breathed evenly once, twice, before opening the door.  
  
He allowed himself one full second to absorb the sight of Lance, standing there, before the took methodical, symmetrical steps towards each other, to reach the middle ground.  
  
Even now, to Keith, Lance was still Lance, which meant, in short, he looks stunning, gazes naturally pulled to him. He is the center of Keith’s universe, every combination of ‘opposite’s and ‘alike’s that attract. _Lance_.  
  
He moved fluidly, radiating beauty, happy warmth, enticing, enrapturing. _Lance_. His smile could light up the cloudiest days, his eyes could give the greatest reprieve, a calming ocean blue you could float in. _Lance_.  
  
He wore a light grey shirt with a fitted dark blue vest, his tie only one shade lighter, with a perfectly tailored structured jacket. The jacket itself was dark, with details embroidered into it with dark blue thread that popped against the black, similar to the vest, with finer details accentuated by lighter blue threads. The patterns, from a certain distance, appeared to curl and lap up towards the neck as flames, or perhaps waves, if viewed at a different angle. His fitted black slacks bore similar patterns, but they were all with darker blues and did not distract from the jacket, or its wearer’s face.  
  
_Lance_.  
  
They met in the middle, smiles unchanged. Up close, he was even more gorgeous, and Keith could survive on just drinking up his presence for days.  
  
With a quirk in his brow, Lance intertwined their arms, placing a hand over Keith’s, and led them up the aisle, Keith matching his pace.  
  
It was brutally enamoring. Keith was impatient, but he could endure this. Endure the last minutes of waiting to be married to Lance McClain.  
  
He could also wait as long as it takes, and possibly more, preferably more, because _he still has no idea what the fuck to say_. He begins to panic a bit. He figured once he saw Lance, once he got here, something would just click and he would _know_.  
  
But here he was, staring at his _almost_ husband, wordlessly pleading, prodding, silently speechless.  
  
Thankfully, as with most things, Lance goes first. Not for the first time, Keith is very, very thankful.  
  
Until he hears Lance’s vows.  
  
”Well, Keith, here we are. Finally, we get to start true ol’ married life together.” Despite his good-natured opening, Lance pauses with a small gasp, and Keith notices him worrying his bottom lip, eyes becoming glassy, but he perseveres, gripping the microphone tighter and raising his piece of paper.  
  
”When I was just a young lad, starting my days at the Garrison, eager to learn and be the best, I encountered quite an interesting, complex obstacle. And his name: Keith Kogane.”  
  
”It seemed, for what felt like the longest time in my life, we’d never get to this point. That _I_ would never get to this point, with you. Much less talk with you as equals. Yet now, I’m lucky enough to wake up to you every morning, and kiss you every night before we sleep.”  
  
”When you first came into my life, you were unattainable, and unmatched by everyone. Unrivaled, so to speak,” a chuckle, “and that was the first time I aspired to be something so great, when I admired you.”  
  
”It took a while on my part, and for whatever brought us closer, I am grateful. But I will ensure that I uphold what we have together now, the happiness we have together now. My love for you can only grow.”  
  
”Um, alright,” Lance breathes as he lets out a gruff chuckle and rubs his forehead with the hand holding the piece of paper. Keith hums with a smile, and places his hand tentatively on Lance’s cheek, slowly tracing little circles into the soft skin with his thumb. Lance instantly relaxes to the touch, smiles, and continues.  
  
”When we properly met, I knew I had to discover every nook and cranny of you, every crevice of your mind, the ins and outs of _you_. And, of course, I had no idea why. Until then, you were competition, and someone out of my league.”  
  
”Slowly, I allowed myself to relax around you, to open up to you. Our friendship came naturally, and strengthened with every passing moment together. I felt different, but nothing else changed. It’s been you.”  
  
”I could feel you opening up too, though you remained guarded, and you helped to guard my heart. I’ll be forever glad that I’ve had you for this long in my life, but I always wish I could have more.”  
  
”You turned out to have so much more to you than what I initially thought, and even more than your impression leaves. With every single thing I got to learn about you, I felt more at home. More comfortable, more curious.”  
  
”You were the first, and only time, I’ve ever felt a love like this, like ours. I didn’t recognize the feeling at first, only that it spread everywhere we went, with everything we did, until I saw it all around me.”  
  
”It felt suffocating, yet comforting, and I was scared for a little bit, but then I figured it out. _Love_. Then it felt normal and right.”  
  
”it’s such a strange word, love, with so many different meanings. But it’s what I felt for you all along. How I felt it changed over time, obviously, but _that_ I felt it, and that it became more noticeable, ever-constant, but never overwhelming.”  
  
”And I noticed you. _Properly_ noticed you. How galaxies are modeled after your eyes. How your laughter, boisterous and untamed, steals the show. Every angle of your face is flattering, and no matter what I say about it, your hair puts the Gods and Goddesses to shame.”  
  
”Your voice carries through the room and intrigues people, awestruck at how such a deeply melodic sound can even exist. Your smile can destroy millennia’s-long feuds.”  
  
”For how rigid and compact you make yourself around strangers, you’re that much more flowing, open, and pliant with your friends and loved ones. I consider it the highest honor to be the most loved one, honestly.” Lance starts to blush here, and Keith can’t keep the part between his lips closed for very long, eyes wide with every word he hears.  
  
”Though years ago I would’ve doubted it, we really are a perfect pair. I feel that we were made from the same stardust, and now we’re colliding again. I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He’s smiling now. Keith can _feel_ that smile, the one he’s so used to having bestowed upon him. Feels it, but doesn’t look to meet it.  
  
He can’t.  
  
Lance continues, “We’ve been through so, so much together,” Keith, as well as their friends here with them, are very well aware, “and I can’t wait to conquer even more with you, as your husband.”  
  
”The Keith Kogane before me right now, the one I loved, love, the one I will continue to love. You – you’ve been the best parts of my life, for the times in life that I feel matter the most. The only thing I ask of you now, is to become my husband, Keith.”  
  
Lance’s voice tapers out at his last sentence and a thin tear escapes from his eyes, but no more, and he does not crumble.  
  
It wasn’t silent around them: his parents were sniffling, Hunk and Shiro were choking back sobs, and a few other guests murmured about how lovely it was and how happy they were. Keith caught a glimpse of Pidge, and even she wiped at her eyes.  
  
The time has come. His previous idea faltered, mind blank.  
  
The microphone is passed over to Keith, who stares at it at first.  
  
He fiddles with it for a moment while silence again fell on the small crowd they have gathered, and Keith feels all the extra sets of eyes on him. On _them_.  
  
He turns over his earlier conversation with Shiro, his memories of the past seven years, the vows Lance just proclaimed. Then, it clicks, and he silently clears his throat.  
  
”Lance,” Keith starts, solid but soft, which doesn’t quite matter with the microphone he’s holding.  
  
”When I first met you, my life started to fall apart.”  
  
He doesn’t look up to meet Lance’s eyes, ignores the pounding of his heart, the clamminess in his hands, the sirens in his head, and continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I had this idea but I haven't written in forever and hate editing. *Shrugs*


	2. It's Such a Strange Word, Love

Lance was looking himself over in the floor-length mirror for what felt like the billionth time in the past hour. Everything – every crease, every button, every thread, every centimeter of fabric had to be perfectly placed, crisp and clean.  
  
_Today is the day_ , he thinks with a watery, wavering smile. _The best day of my life, so far_.  
  
The day didn’t even have to finish for him to know it would be this way – he was marrying the love of his life soon.  
  
Sure, they haven’t always been perfect and they’ve only just recently started a life together, but he wouldn’t change it for the world, for the entire universe!  
  
There was easily still at least an hour until the big shebang. The longest, most grueling wait of his life. The best, most well-rewarded wait of his life.  
  
It was kind of nice, actually. The past few days had flown by in a craze, filled with finalizing preparations, greeting family and friends, writing and _re-writing_ his vows, and rehearsing.  
  
He and Keith hadn’t had much time to themselves, and it was frankly overwhelming for the both of them, but when they could relax they were ironically, yet expectedly, filled with untamed giddiness and bubbling joy.  
  
As they spent the past few nights entangled in each other’s limbs and enraptured by each other’s gazes, holding on for dear life and pressing together in growing anticipation of the present, they reminisced over events of the past several years that brought them to this point.  
  
It actually helped him write his vows, gauging where they both felt they were throughout their relationship and what they had remembered as important. Not surprisingly, they had focused on similar events.  
  
Lance still wasn’t sure if Keith had considered these things when writing his vows, or if he had written any part of his vows at all. He smiled again. It was just like Keith, especially with such a personal matter.  
  
While he is able to balance most aspects of life, those he feels more strongly for are when he’s all-or-nothing. To Lance, it’s a comforting thought.  
  
The fact that they were still together after so long, that they were doing _this_ together, that Keith still loves him like he does, is all Lance needs. It’s all they both need, right now.  
  
His thoughts are interrupted by a steady hand landing on his shoulder, and he turned to meet Shiro’s smiling face. Hunk had been with him the entire time, muffling a few words now and then through chokes. He’d been crying on and off during the wait, crying enough for the both of them, which Lance is grateful for.  
  
”How are you feeling?” Shiro asked tentatively. He seemed nervous to Lance, but for who he couldn’t tell.  
  
Lance sighed, “Well, you know. I don’t mind the wait, but I can’t wait, but there’s nothing I can really do about it.”  
  
”I think you’ll be fine. Have you written your vows?”  
  
”Of course! Well, technically I’ve been, erm, _editing_ and revising them the past few days. With Hunk’s support, and Keith’s unknowing help,” he chuckled.  
  
Shiro smiled warmly. “I’m… _happy_ for the two of you. Really. So much has changed over the years. I – I honestly never expected this.”  
  
”Oh…”  
  
”No, no! It’s not like that! You know we’ve had quite a few talks; you, Keith, and I. What I meant was, well.” Shiro broke off suddenly, his gaze unfocused as he swallowed lightly. If Lance couldn’t already feel his heart beating out of his chest, he _definitely_ felt it now.  
  
”Well,” Shiro sniffed, “I just can’t really remember what you guys were like before. You just – you’re both so good together. You were great before, but you seem even better somehow. All around, doing better. Like, like…”  
  
Lance hardly had time to process what he was hearing because _Shiro_ was crying right in front of him. _Crying_. He’d spent so long thinking he had to walk around eggshells around the man who Keith saw as an older brother, wanting to keep his approval. And he started crying, for them.  
  
”Almost like, we complement each other, yeah? We’re more whole together.”  
  
Shiro smiled as he sniffled again and wiped away at tears. “Yeah,” he eventually croaked out.  
  
Lance offered a smile of his own. As much as he loves Shiro, he has to get him out of here before he starts crying too.  
  
”Hey, Shiro? Why not go check-up on Keith? He’s probably looking forward to seeing you.”  
  
”Yeah, yeah.” Shiro turned to walk out of the room, but was still in Lance’s earshot when he all but whispered, “I’m so glad my brother has you.”  
  
There, alone with his Best Man Hunk, who was still silently sniffling, Lance finally felt a few fat tears roll down his cheeks and onto the floor.  
  
_He_ was the lucky one, they’re both very lucky, but _Lance_ is the lucky one. Keith, though, he just won the lottery. All those years, and it was obvious they were like brothers, and Keith had once confided in Lance that he wasn’t sure that’s even what Shiro wanted. _Today is going to kill both of us with kindness_.  
  
”We can’t have that now!” Hunk exclaimed, suddenly becoming perky once more. “As your best friend AND, for today, BEST MAN, it is my sworn duty to make sure you look, and I quote, ‘As picturesque as an everlasting rainbow over the perfect rolling waves of the ocean that floats us together.’”  
  
Lance still isn’t quite sure what he had meant by that when he explained Hunk’s last-minute duties at their Bachelor Parties, but he’s glad Hunk had enthusiasm for them both.  
  
”It’s not that Hunk, I’m just glad everything is going well today. More than well.”  
  
Hunk smiled gleefully. “Is it…I mean, obviously it’s not _perfect_.”  
  
”Oh, of course not! There’s always going to be some family drama, and we’re not getting married in space, also I was counting the flowers in the centerpieces earlier and –“  
  
”Woah, there, buddy. Don’t worry about that now, besides all the decorations look amazing! It definitely suits you guys. I mean, of course, nothing’s ever perfect, but this is pretty close, right?”  
  
Lance let out a laugh at this. Hearty, full, and unbridled. “You’re right. Nothing’s ever perfect, but this. This is worth it.”  
  
The procession went just as rehearsed; they met in the middle, walked together, supporting each other. Standing so close, about to fill another space they made for each other in their lives.  
  
What Lance hadn’t rehearsed, though, was reacting to the sight of Keith when they first stepped out on opposite sides of the hall.  
  
Even now, to Lance, Keith was still Keith, which meant, in short, he looks breath-taking, jaw-dropping, gorgeous. He is Lance’s universe, his true constant in the chaos, every combination of bests in life. _Keith_.  
  
He strode with a purpose, shoulders drawn and even, dazzling eyes dancing around Lance, embracing him. _Keith_. As he strutted along, his face softened into a warm expression, one that Lance will never tire of. _Keith_.  
  
Like his own ensemble, Keith wore a charcoal shirt with a fitted crimson vest, his tie only a shade darker, with a dark jacket stitched together by lapping red flames that popped against the black. Towards his hands, the red was lighter, and as the flames neared his breast, they become a lovely shade of violet. His fitted pants were stitched similarly up the outer sides, but the violet shade was only found on his breast. What stood out most, though, was his radiant smile as he shyly met Lance in the middle.  
  
_Keith_.  
  
Up close, Lance felt more content, his heartbeat slowing despite him not realizing it was speeding in the first place.  
  
They led each other up the aisle, with gentle nudges of reassurance from Lance every once in a while. He could feel the impatient anticipation teeming off of his soon-to-be husband. Lance, too, could hardly wait to be married to Keith Kogane.  
  
He could also wait as long as it takes, though it is less preferable to immediately grasping Keith and not letting go, kissing his face all over and drinking up his giggles at the attention.  
  
And then, they were at the alter. Waiting. Waiting. _Waiting_.  
  
Lance spoke first, Lance had _wanted_ to speak first. He couldn’t handle going after Keith. During rehearsal they didn’t say any vows, but he just _knew_ he wouldn’t be able to go after Keith.  
  
While Lance spoke, through his stumbling and tangle of nerves, he studied Keith. Observed the way his face would twist, relax, turn away, gaze into his soul. Lance reveled in all of it.  
  
Keith is here, it’s all or nothing, and Lance _knows_ he’ll be all-in.  
  
Still, he was shocked when Keith initially spoke. Towards the end of his own vows, Keith wouldn’t look at him. He was silent, almost everyone else was silent too, save for a few sniffles and pleasant murmurs, but as far as Lance knew, his entire world was standing stiff and silent in front of him, twirling the microphone now gripped in his hands.  
  
”Lance,” Keith finally started, almost too softly for the microphone to pick up, but spoken with conviction.  
  
”When I first met you, my life started to fall apart.”  
  
_All or nothing_. Keith still wasn’t looking at him. He paused. Everyone paused. _Everything_ around Lance had paused. _All or nothing_. He turned his head towards the floor, to match his – Keith’s – gaze. _All, or…_  
  
Lance felt the hand brush into his before he looked up to meet the glassy gaze in front of him.  
  
”It fell apart, and you were there to help remake it into something even better, a mosaic of all the good from before, with additions of our own. Sealed together with what I couldn’t obtain on my own.” Keith’s grip on his hand tightened slightly, bringing their hands equidistant between them.  
  
”Lance, even though I say it all the time, that I love you, _love_ itself is awful.”  
  
That earned a few chuckles, as well as a beaming smile from Lance. Keith had a slight pout on, it was impossibly adorable, and dropped his hand.  
  
”Love isn’t patient, or kind. Love is brute, a force you don’t invite in. Love enters, abruptly, unannounced, a whirlwind of chaos. It demands to be felt, to be noticed, and you don’t stand a chance against it.”  
  
”Love is so, so very unkind. The kinder the source of affection, the unkinder the love. It doesn’t hold back in the slightest, and it can cloud your judgement in the most simple of situations.”  
  
”Love is maddening, insatiable, unparalleled. Love isn’t chosen, it chooses you, and pursues every fiber of your being relentlessly. It becomes part of you, and I was lucky enough that you, Lance, the center of affection from this love, have put up with me, reciprocated to me.”  
  
Lance was already starting to blubber, because every single word Keith spoke was true for him too. He had to remember to thank him for putting _this_ into words, and to reprimand him for ruining his make-up and sleek façade for the day, with kisses, of course.  
  
Keith lifted his free hand to cup Lance’s cheek and wipe his tears with his thumb, then continued, “It’s insatiable, in the sense that I could never have enough of you. Never enough time, never enough touches, never enough of your smiles or laughter, never enough _you_.”  
  
”It’s such a sick irony, love. You’re _more_ than enough, more than perfect for me. But I’ll never be satisfied with the meager slice of existence I have with you. Our love, though, unlike us, can traverse time and space. It will endure and thrive long after we’re unable and gone, as it has long before we came to be.”  
  
Keith moved his palm from Lance’s cheek to the nape of his neck and took a step closer, shrinking the distance between them until only the microphone comfortably fit in between.  
  
”As you said, we were destined, with love written among the galaxies. And despite this life together being limited, I intend on spending every moment I can irrevocably, undeniably, unapologetically in love with you.”  
  
”So, I vow to keep you safe and happy. I vow to make dinners with you, to share the couch when we lay down, to wish you an amazing day every morning, to soothe any hardships you’ve encountered during the day, to make sure you do to sleep content.”  
  
”I vow to make you feel loved, important, and fulfilled. I vow to be the best – the best husband I can be.” Keith stammered, now letting silent tears roll down his cheeks. Lance was preoccupied with memorizing every word, and holding Keith’s wrists loosely in his own hands, allowing his own tears to fall.  
  
They stared at each other for one more breath, and then Keith broke the silence.  
  
He turned his head to Coran, their acting minister who was also quite teaarful, and said hoarsely, “Can I kiss my husband already?”  
  
With that, Lance _knew_ , this truly was perfect for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)
> 
> I'm thinking of writing some chronological memories they thought of as like a part 2 to this but I'm not sure how well that would turn out or if anyone would care about those. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> Also I'm on Tumblr as aterstellabruma if you wanna bother me (I'm there more often anyway).


End file.
